Afghan suicide attack kills 16

Czech chief of staff Petr Pavel told reporters in Prague that the bomber was in a crowd of Afghans talking to soldiers who were investigating rocket attacks against Bagram airbase, a major US military facility nearby.

The attack was claimed by the Taliban.

Waheed Sediqqi, spokesman for the governor of Parwan province, said that 10 civilians and two policemen were killed in the attack as well as the four soldiers.

About 250 Czech soldiers serve among the 50,000 US-led Nato troops still deployed in Afghanistan.

Nato’s combat mission will wrap up at the end of this year, with 10,000 US troops staying into next year if the new president signs a security deal with Washington.